Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2020

To demonstrate how carefully crafted the Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc from Walker Bay is, winemaker Emul Ross yesterday showed five components that will go to making up the 2021 blend: 1) vineyards on sandstone soils, juice fermented with an endemic Sauvage yeast; 2) vineyards on decomposed granite/sandstone soils, juice fermented with an organic Alba Fria yeast; 3) vineyards on clay and iron-rich shale soils, juice fermented with native yeasts; 4) fermented in neutral barrel with native yeast; and 5) fermented in neutral barrel with Sauvage yeast.

Production of this wine varies between 10 000 and 15 000 cases and it has an approximate retail price of R130 a bottle. The currently available 2020 has subtle aromatics of pear, lime, fynbos, sea breeze and black currant while the palate is lean and fresh with a pithy finish. As ever, it’s a restrained rendition of the variety that will benefit from some bottle maturation – Ross also presented a vertical from 2015 to 2020 and both the 2017 and 2019 have gained by virtue of some ageing.

CE’s rating: 90/100.

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